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PBF Win!

10-03-2011, 10:15 AM

About 6 and a half years ago I broke my kneecap, somewhere in between sitting on my motorcycle and waking up underneath it. Over the next four years I steadily gained weight from a fairly fit 170lbs (12-15% body fat) up to a rather tubby 185 (25% body fat, perhaps?) in the summer of 2009.

In the Army Reserve, my physical fitness score also suffered. Prior to the accident, I was running about 14:30 or less for a 2-mile run, though I was getting consistently slower. My scores for the pushup and situp events were also declining. The accident pushed it over the edge. After a year of rehabilitating my knee, I managed to pass a Physical Training (PT) test again- just barely. I continued to just barely pass twice a year for years.

In 2009 I moved to Taiwan and lost 40 pounds. Using PB, I've been maintaining at about 150 since then, but last October's PT test score was about normal- just barely passing.

This past April I started following PBF in earnest- walking a lot, sprinting occasionally, and using Convict Conditioning for my lifting of heavy things. I don't think I've run more than a mile at a time since then, and definitely not two miles.

I took another test this weekend. All of my scores were higher than anything I've done since the accident. I did 60 pushups in 2 minutes (6-year PR by 5 or so), and 77 situps in two minutes (PR by at least 15, almost the maximum number of points).

Since breaking my knee, I've always paced myself very well in the two-mile run. My goal was always about 16 minutes, so 4 minutes for each half-mile. I was usually pretty close to this, sometimes as fast as 3:45. On Saturday my time at the first half-mile was less than 3:20, and I was sure then that I would have issues maintaining that pace. Instead of intentionally slowing down though, I ignored the clock and trusted my body, and came in at 13:59. I haven't run less than 15:40 since 2005, and haven't run less than 14:00 since probably 2002 or 2003. Here I am, 31 years old, running like I did when I was 22 or 23.

Maybe these numbers aren't as impressive as some of the weightloss numbers in the Success Stories, but these PT scores can really influence a soldier's career. I never thought I would do much more than pass the test, and I ended up with 273 points scored out of a possible 300. I have other soldiers coming to me for advice on PT again, which hasn't happened in a long while.

Comment

After checking 670-1 and 600-8-22, it seems that the PT Badge can be worn any time a soldier gets 90/90/90 on the three events, until they score less than that on a record test. I feel like wearing it- getting it sewn on and everything- is a big commitment to then follow through and maintain that standard. We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll be the arrogant jerk that wears the PT stud patch.

Comment

After checking 670-1 and 600-8-22, it seems that the PT Badge can be worn any time a soldier gets 90/90/90 on the three events, until they score less than that on a record test. I feel like wearing it- getting it sewn on and everything- is a big commitment to then follow through and maintain that standard. We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll be the arrogant jerk that wears the PT stud patch.

If you can win it, you might as well rock it! I know the standard have changed in the decade plus since I've been out, but there weren't too many guys wearing it when I was in. I would max pushups and sit-ups, but this big boy wasn't built for running..

Comment

If you can win it, you might as well rock it! I know the standard have changed in the decade plus since I've been out, but there weren't too many guys wearing it when I was in. I would max pushups and sit-ups, but this big boy wasn't built for running..

I always thought I wasn't built for push ups, but that thought is changing these days...

Comment

Get the patch! At least on one of your PT uniforms. As a reservist, you have plenty of time to wash it between drill/battle assembly.

Haven't had our PT test yet; it's coming up end of October; but the results from the diagnostic in August are promising! I've been working out with the local crossfit club, but with more of a primal approach (every other day instead of every day like some of the fire breathers) and doing lots of walking... belly's getting smaller, pushups are improving (not just the reps, but the form, too; I had a bad habit of doing that snake motion).